On May 29, 2007, after a  brief  Illness, Dr. John W. Chriss (87) fell asleep in the Lord. Dr. Chriss was a former president of the Nueces County Medical Society and the Texas Diabetes Association. Dr. Chriss dedicated his life to his family, his patients, and the improved care and treatment of endocrine disorders, in particular diabetes. He was one of the first internal medicine specialists in the Coastal Bend, an endocrinologist and a leader in diabetes education.

Dr. Chriss was born in Nacogdoches, Texas and lived in Corpus C7iristi since early childhood. He attended corpus Christi public schools and graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1937. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas in 1941, and obtained his MD. Degree from U. T. Medical Branch, Galveston in 1944. Dr. Chriss served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in the Pacific and when he returned he performed a three year fellowship in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Chriss practiced medicine in Corpus Christi for over forty years and was board certified in Internal Medicine and in Endocrinology and Metabolism by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vasilios K. and Panagiota Hrissikopoulos, his sister, Mrs. Jane H. Mays, and by a brother, George Hrissikopoulos.

Dr. Chriss is survived by his wife of fifty-six years, Mrs. Angeline K. Chriss;  his  two sons,  Dr. James  J. (Mandy) Chriss  of  Clevela nd,  Ohio,  and  William J. (Mary) Chriss of Austin , Texas; his grandchildren, Ariana and John J. Chriss of Cleveland, Ohio, and John A. F. Chriss and Olivia Chriss of Austin, Texas and by his sister. Mrs. Katherine H. Lontos of Corpus Christi, and his brother, Dr. Charles Hrissikopoulos of Greece.

Dr. Chriss was a faithful member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Funeral services were conducted on Friday, June 1, 2007 at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with the Reverend Father Stelios Sitaras of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Corpus Christi, amid Reverend Father Danut Suciu of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, San Antonio, Texas officiating. Pallbearers were John A. F. Chriss, John A. Cofas, Thomas Hallick, Dean Hrissikopoulos, Dean Lontos,, and William M. Mays. Honorary Pallbearers were Dr. Stanley Doich, Dr. Nicholas G. Hallick, Harold Lewis, Dr. James E. Tempesta, and the Nueces County Medical Society.

Donations in memory of Dr. Chriss can be made to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Post Office Box 343, Corpus Christi, Texas 78403 or to the American Diabetes Association   Research Foundation. Dr. Chriss will be missed by all who knew him.

A forty-day Memorial Service for Dr. Chriss will be held on Sunday, July 1, 2007.

May his memory be eternal!

Thalia Plomarity, Bulletin Editor